Churchill sires his first Group 1 winner and Nathaniel records his sixth
New Group 1 winners
First for Churchill
Coolmore Australia's shuttler Churchill (Galileo) sired his first Group 1 winner when the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Vadeni (3 c ex Vaderana by Monsun) won Sunday's Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club (2100m) at Chantilly. Bred and raced by HH The Aga Khan, Vadeni was impressive and pulled five lengths clear to beat British raider El Bodegon (Kodiac), with favourite, Modern Games (Dubawi), third. Now the winner of four of his six career starts, Vadeni is the best of five winners out of winning mare Vaderana (Monsun). Churchill, who has produced four other stakes winners, will return to Coolmore Australia this spring where his fee has been set again at $22,000 (inc GST).
Six for Nathaniel
In winning Saturday's English Derby (1m4f), Desert Crown (3 c ex Desert Berry by Green Desert) handed Nathaniel (Galileo) his sixth Group 1 winner and third Classic winner. Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Desert Crown recorded an easy two and a half length victory over Hoo Ya Mal (Territories) and remained unbeaten in three career starts. The winner was bought for 280,000gns by Blandford Bloodstock at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2 from the draft of his breeder Starwberry Fields Stud. Sire of multiple Group 1 winner Enable and last year's Nassau Stakes (1m2f) winner Lady Bowthorpe, Nathaniel has seven crops of racing age. He stands at Newsells Park Stud in England where his 2022 fee was set at £15,000.
New stakes winners
196 for Exceed And Excel
Rozgar (3 c ex Roshanara by Sea The Stars) became the 196th stakes winner for Darley's Exceed And Excel (Danehill) when the Francis Graffard-trained colt took the Listed Prix Marchand d'Or (1200m) at Chantilly on Sunday. The Aga Khan Studs homebred beat Perfect News (Frankel) by a length and a quarter. The winner is the second foal out of winning Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) mare Roshanara who is herself a half-sister to Group 1 winner Rosanara (Sinndar). Having covered 90 mares last year at a fee of $132,000 (inc GST) at Darley's Kelvinside farm, Exceed And Excel's fee remains at that level again this year.
158 for Pivotal
Cheveley Park Stud homebred Bashkirova (4 f ex Russian Finale by Dansili) became the 158th stakes winner for the late Pivotal (Polar Falcon) when she won Saturday's Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes (1m0.5f) at Epsom. Starting favourite, Bashkirova kept on in the final stages under Tom Marquand to beat Potapova (Invincible Spirit) by a length and a quarter. Pivotal stood at Cheveley Park Stud and died at the at the age of 28 last November.
Three for Ribchester
Snooze N You Lose (3 f ex Wake Up Call by Noverre) handed Haunui Farm shuttler Ribchester (Iffraaj) his third stakes winner when she won Sunday's Listed Queen Of The Scots Stakes (7f) at Musselburgh. Ribchester's 2022 fee at Darley's Kildangan Stud was set at €12,500 and his fee this spring at Haunui Farm remains unchanged at NZ$15,000 (plus GST).
28 for Wootton Bassett
Coolmore Australia shuttler Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) sired his 28th stakes winner when his daughter Wootton City (2 f ex Absolute City by Elusive City) won Sunday's Listed Prix la Fleche (1000m) at Chantilly. Wootton Bassett shuttled to Australia for the first time in 2021, covering 188 mares at a fee of $71,500 (inc GST) and his fee remains at that level this spring. Wootton City is bred on the same cross at Wooded who will shuttle to Swettenham Stud for the first time this spring.
Five and Six for Zarak
The Aga Khan Studs-based Zarak (Dubawi) sired stakes winner number five when Baiykara (3 f ex Balankiyla by Montjeu) won the Group 3 Prix de Royaumont (2400m) at Chantilly on Sunday. Later in the day, Purplepay (3 f ex Piedra by Lawman) handed her sire his sixth stakes winner when the William Haggas-trained filly won the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham (1600m). Zarak is based at Haras de Bonneval where his 2022 fee was set at €25,000.
